Section
2 Approval and survey requirements
2.1 Approval and survey requirements – General
2.1.3 For the purposes
of survey, LR Surveyors are to be allowed access to all relevant parts
of the works, and are to be provided with the necessary facilities
and information to enable them to verify that the manufacture is being
carried out in accordance with the approved procedures. Facilities
are also to be provided for the selection of test material, the witnessing
of mechanical tests and the examination of materials, as required
by these Rules.
2.1.4 Where a production
process, testing or examination of materials is sub-contracted, this
must be with the approval of LR. Surveyors are to be allowed access
to the sub-contractor's premises in order to conduct Surveys according
to the requirements of these Rules.
2.2 LR Approval – General
2.2.1 Unless specifically
stated in other Chapters of these Rules, all LR approvals apply to
materials used in applications intended for marine service, as described
in Ch 1, 1.1 General.
2.2.2 The procedures
for application for approval of manufacturers and products, the details
of the information to be supplied by the manufacturer, and the test
programme to be conducted on the products are given in the appropriate
book of LR's Materials and Qualification Procedures for Ships (MQPS).
This is published in the Class Direct section of LR's web site at
http://www.lr.org.
2.2.3 LR publishes
lists of approved manufacturers and approved products. The lists are
published in the Class Direct section of LR's website, http://www.lr.org.
The lists are as follows:
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List of Approved Manufacturers of Materials.
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Approved Welding Consumables for Use in Ship Construction.
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Lists of Paints, Resins, Reinforcements and Associated Materials.
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Lists of Approved Anchors.
2.2.4 For initial
LR approval as an Approved Manufacturer for a particular material,
the manufacturer is required to demonstrate to the satisfaction of
LR that the necessary manufacturing and testing facilities are available,
and are supervised by suitably qualified personnel. A specified programme
of tests is to be carried out under the supervision of LR Surveyors,
and the results are to be to the satisfaction of LR.
2.2.5 If the results
of the initial assessment of the manufacturer, and the test programme
are considered satisfactory, the manufacturer will be added to the
list of approved manufacturers of materials, and a certificate of
approval will be issued to the manufacturer by LR, showing the scope
of materials and grades covered by the approval. Initial approval
will generally be under the Materials Survey Scheme, see
Ch 1, 2.3 Materials Survey Scheme.
2.2.7 When a manufacturer
has more than one works, the manufacturer's approval shall only be
valid for the works where the test programme was conducted.
2.2.8 It is the
manufacturer's responsibility to advise LR of all changes to the manufacturing
process parameters that may affect the application of the material,
prior to the adoption of the changes in production. Additional approval
tests may be required to maintain the approval.
2.2.9 Maintenance
of approval is dependent on the manufacturer continuing to meet the
requirements of the applicable sections of these Rules.
2.2.10 Where it
is considered that an approved manufacturer is not maintaining its
responsibilities to comply with these Rules, the approval may be suspended
by LR until such time that agreed corrective and preventive actions
are considered to have been satisfactorily carried out. If considered
necessary, LR may require that the normal level of testing and inspection
is increased.
2.2.11 In all
instances, LR will reduce the scope of, or withdraw approval from,
a manufacturer where it becomes apparent that the manufacturer is
unable to maintain compliance with these Rules or the scope of approval.
2.2.12 Where a
manufacturer disagrees with any decisions made with regard to LR approval,
they may appeal in writing to LR.
2.2.13 Any documents,
data or other information received as part of the approval process
will be treated as strictly confidential, and will not be disclosed
to any third party, without the manufacturer's prior written consent.
2.2.14 The approved
works will be subject to a periodic inspection of all relevant parts
of the works, at intervals not exceeding three years. The procedure
for this periodic inspection is given in Book B of LR’s Materials
and Qualification Procedures for Ships (MQPS). This periodic
inspection is in addition to the regular visits made according to Ch 1, 2.3 Materials Survey Scheme 2.3.7.
2.3 Materials Survey Scheme
2.3.2 Approved
manufacturers are to request a survey of the material by an LR Surveyor,
when required. Manufacturers must provide the Surveyor with details
of the order, specification and any special conditions additional
to the requirements of these Rules.
2.3.3 All mechanical
tests required by these Rules are to be witnessed. The Surveyor may
allow part of this task to be carried out by a member of the works
staff by prior written agreement.
2.3.4 Before final
acceptance, all materials are to be submitted to the specified tests
and examinations under conditions acceptable to the Surveyor. The
results are to comply with the Rules, and all materials are to be
to the satisfaction of the Surveyor.
2.3.5 The specified
tests and examinations are to be carried out prior to the despatch
of finished materials from the manufacturer's works. Where materials
are supplied in the rough or unfinished condition, as many as possible
of the specified tests are to be carried out by the manufacturer,
and any tests or examinations that are not completed are to be carried
out under survey at a subsequent stage of manufacture.
2.3.6 In the event
of any material proving unsatisfactory during subsequent working,
machining or fabrication, such material is to be rejected, notwithstanding
any previous certification.
2.3.7 In addition
to witnessing test results, the Surveyor is responsible for ensuring
that the manufacturing process, inspection, testing, identification
and certification are properly conducted. As part of the Materials
Survey Scheme, regular visits will be made to all relevant parts of
the works, including the subcontractors who are conducting any process
which will affect the properties of the final products, to check for
compliance against the requirements of these Rules, and to ensure
that the manufacturer is maintaining the capability to consistently
produce approved materials.
2.3.8 The Surveyor,
when satisfied that the material fully meets the requirements of these
Rules, will certify the material in accordance with Ch 1, 3 Certification of materials and the appropriate Chapter of
these Rules.
2.4 Materials Quality Scheme
2.4.1 The manufacturer
may apply to be approved under the Materials Quality Scheme where
the following requirements are met:
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The manufacturer has been approved by LR on the Materials Survey
Scheme for a minimum of three years and continues to maintain their LR works
approval according to Ch 1, 2.2 LR Approval – General 2.2.14; and
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The manufacturer has a quality management system, which has been
certified as meeting the requirements of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems -
Requirements by a certification body recognised by LR, which is one
accredited by a member of the International Accreditation Forum; and
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The manufacturer has
a satisfactory history of quality performance in the manufacture and
supply of LR approved materials.
2.4.2 Special consideration
may be given to manufacturers who have not been approved under the
Materials Survey Scheme, and may be considered onto the Materials
Quality Scheme providing:
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They have a quality
management system which has been certified as meeting the requirements
of ISO 9001 by a certification body recognised by LR, which is one
accredited by a member of the International Accreditation Forum.
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They can demonstrate
a history of satisfactory supply of materials which LR deems to be
equivalent to those for which approval under the Materials Quality
Scheme is requested.
In this case, the initial assessment of the manufacturer will
include the product testing regime, as required for initial approval
under the Materials Survey Scheme see
Ch 1, 2.2 LR Approval – General 2.2.4.
2.4.3 The Scheme
is based on a Scheme Certification Schedule, made between LR and each
individual manufacturer. The schedule will stipulate:
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The scope of approved
products covered by the approval.
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The process route applied
by the manufacturer for each approved product.
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The arrangements for
LR scheme, audits, including scope, frequency, schedule, etc.
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Agreed procedures for
certification of approved materials.
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Information to be supplied
periodically to LR by the manufacturer.
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Procedures for the
use of the scheme mark.
2.4.4 The contents
of the Scheme Certification Schedule are to remain confidential between
LR and the manufacturer.
2.4.5 The Materials
Quality Scheme is based on a technical audit approach, and is designed
to complement the quality management systems audits performed to ISO
9001. The role of the Surveyor in scheme audits is to:
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Verify that the quality
management system is being maintained and audited to the requirements
of ISO 9001.
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Verify that the requirements
of these Rules are being implemented.
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Verify that the requirements
of this Scheme are being implemented.
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Perform Scheme audits,
which focus on the technical aspects of the product realisation process,
particularly with regard to Rule requirements.
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Perform witness testing
as required.
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Verify the data supplied
to LR periodically by the manufacturer as part of the Scheme requirements.
2.4.6 The Materials
Quality Scheme may be applied to any approved manufacturer who meets
the eligibility requirements, and who applies to be approved under
the scheme. If approved under the scheme, the manufacturer's name
will appear on the List of Approved Manufacturers published by LR,
with an indication that they are approved under this scheme.
2.4.8 The procedures for application for approval for the Materials Quality
Scheme are given in LR's ShipRight Procedure Approval of a Manufacturer according to
Quality Assurance Engineering Schemes (QAES).
2.4.9 Where LR
is satisfied that the manufacturer meets all of the requirements of
the Scheme, and that it is appropriate for the products being manufactured,
a Scheme Certification Schedule will be issued, which must be signed
by an authorised representative of the manufacturer.
2.4.10 Once the
Scheme Certification Schedule has been signed by both parties, LR
will issue the manufacturer with a certificate of approval according
to the Materials Quality Scheme.
2.4.11 Maintenance
of approval will be according to the Scheme Certification Schedule
agreed between LR and the manufacturer, and these Rules.
2.4.12 It is the
responsibility of the attending Surveyor to perform regular Scheme
audits at the manufacturer's works in accordance with the Scheme Certification
Schedule, and the requirements of these Rules.
2.4.13 It is not
the intention to repeat the audit according to ISO 9001 conducted
by the recognised certification body. The Surveyor is, however, to
be satisfied that these audits are being conducted effectively. Where
appropriate, the Surveyor may conduct a partial audit to ISO 9001
to verify this.
2.4.14 Witness
tests may be conducted as part of the Scheme audit. This will involve
the selection of material, and the witness of sampling and testing
according to the requirements of the appropriate chapter of these
Rules. Such witness testing may be on LR grades, or materials which
the Surveyor deems to be equivalent (for the purposes of audit testing
only).
2.4.15 Once every three years, a full assessment of scheme compliance will be
conducted by a Surveyor who is generally not the regular attending Surveyor. This
assessment is in addition to the periodic inspection requirement made according to Ch 1, 2.2 LR Approval – General 2.2.14.
2.4.16 In the
event of any change which means that the manufacturer no longer meets
the requirements for the Materials Quality Scheme (for example the
loss of ISO 9001 approval), the Scheme certificate of approval will
be revoked. The manufacturer will revert to the Materials Survey Scheme,
and will be subject to survey according to that scheme.
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